We are so excited about a fundraising trip to New York City in early October! We want to raise operating money so we can keep traveling to Alaskan Native villages this year—and are looking for $5,000,000 for our Dancing with the Spirit Endowment Fund—so with the yearly interest, we can hire two co-directors to keep our program going for generations to come! Our director, the Rev. Belle Mickelson will be traveling to New York City with our assistant director, Josephine Malemute, her husband Jimmy Malemute and Patty Hamre.
Last school year, we had a very successful time with our school music weeks spending 22 weeks in Tanana Chiefs villages—plus a week each in Pt. Hope and Juneau plus 3 weeks in Yakutat! The Koyukuk Tribe also funded 3 weeks in their village teaching adults in the evening along with student classes during the day. And the Koyukuk Tribe invested $6000 in guitars. Our director Belle helped with the Cordova Music Camp. And two of our musicians led Suicide Prevention Weekend Workshops in Fairbanks in October and May with Young Native Fiddlers, the Tanana Chiefs Conference, and Fairbanks Native Association. Our musicians performed at the March Tanana Chiefs Conference and hosted an Honor the Elders Fiddle Dance where we passed out 58 elder gift bags. Most of our instructors are from the Native community. The photo shows one of the Pt. Hope Elementary School classes with Belle, Josephine Malemute—and Inupiaq teacher Daisy Lane.
We are grateful for your support and prayers!
